Live: U18 Championships GF Blog

New South Wales Metropolitan will look to extend one of Australia’s greatest sporting streaks as they take on Victoria today in the Under-18 Women's National Championships Final.

For the fifth time in as many years, the two sides will face off for the Betty Butcher Shield, a trophy New South Wales Metropolitan has held for the last 11-years.

For the last three years, Victoria has finished atop the table in the preliminary rounds but has fallen to the eventual premiers on the final day.

Statistically, Victoria have the upper hand with three players sitting in the top ten for runs scored this championship, with captain and Melbourne Renegades player Sophie Molineux leading all-comers with 313 runs at an average of 62.6.

With the ball, Penrith quick Amy Edgar enters the final as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, claiming 10 wickets at an average of only 8.09 and best figures of 4-29.

PLAYER TO WATCH

(VIC) – Sophie Molineux: The Victorian captain, an integral member of the inaugural Melbourne Renegades WBBL team and the leading run-scorer at these championships, Molineux can single-handedly take a game away from the opposition, with scores of 79, 89* and 46, the first of those coming against her Grand Final opponents, her start will ultimately determine how her side progresses. Her left-arm-spin is also more-than-handy and with an economy rate of under two-runs per over, she can strangle opposition with both bat and ball.

(NSW) – Saskia Horley: Sitting second behind only Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars spin bowler Jemma Barsby for all-time Under 15 wickets taken, Horley has been an important cog in the New South Wales Metropolitan attack. The off-spin bowler comes on quite early in matches and if she can manage to break through a seeming impenetrable Victorian top-order, her tilt at a fifth title from five attempts may come to fruition.